Monday, December 24, 2007

Lights...Camera...Christmas!

Here are some photos from our annual drive to look at Christmas lights.







This guy really goes all out:







This place is like a mansion:





Here is the tree in the Stoneham town square. Bill made us park and get out. We had to walk all the way across the square in squishy snow. My shoes were soaked!



Here is the band gazebo in the Stoneham town square, with the town hall behind it:



Here is me waving at you from the band gazebo:


Merry Christmas!!!

Friday, December 21, 2007

The Weekly Roundup

First up tonight, a little self-deprecating humor:

And now, on to more serious topics:
Next, Please
Gates warns of Al Qaeda shift
They’re getting bored of terrorizing the same boring old Afgahnis and have now turned their attention to the chaos that is Pakistan. They're working their way across the middle east while we're all focused on Iraq.
(Los Angeles Times)

Sick Joke?
Giuliani keen to fight back after reverses
Is it just me, or is Rudy Giuliani’s campaign becoming a joke? Scandals, corruption, and now illness. And this has been a good week! Take three aspirin, get some new campaign advisors, and call me in the morning.
(Financial Times)

Want To Know Why This Man Is Smiling?
Goldman Awards Blankfein a Record $67.9 Million Bonus
Disappointed with your year-end bonus? You obviously haven’t screwed enough middle class home-mortgage holders out of their hard earned money. Mark this under “room for improvement” on your 2007 performance review.
(Bloomberg)

This Can’t Be Good
North Korean Tubes Found to Be Contaminated With Uranium Traces
They claim that they’ve never had an enriched uranium program, and after this, they got some “’splainin’” to do? We need to send these US arms control officers to better schools so they learn how to talk good. But then, if North Korea has the bomb, it won’t matter for too much longer, now will it?
(FOX)

You Take My Wife…Please!
Save the World: Elect My Wife
Let’s see, this republic has survived Martin Van Buren, John Tyler, James K. Polk, James Buchanan, Warren G. Harding, Herbert Hoover, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter and, most recently, at least seven years of George W. Bush, yet the whole thing will go to pieces if we don’t elect Hillary??? Bill, Bill, Bill. You’re so transparent. If there is anyone out there who doesn’t know exactly why Mr. Clinton wants his wife to win the White House, let me know, and I'll "'splain'" it to ya!
(Washington Post)

Falling Down
UNANIMOUS
The New Orleans City Council voted to demolish upwards of 4,500 project units amid much protest. What they are protesting I really can’t fathom. The buildings sat in feet and feet of muck and guck for weeks and are condemned, people! New Orleans absolutely cannot support people who do nothing but sponge off the government (read: other people’s money). New Orleans needs to build infrastructure to support people who are coming to work and help in the rebuilding. My friend Mark wrote a great letter to the New York Times about this issue. Let me know if you want to read it and I’ll send it to you.
(Times-Picayune)

Flaming Wood
Fire damages Cheney's ceremonial offices near White House
There’s this scene in The West Wing where Josh and Sam set off the smoke alarms trying to light a fire in the Mural Room fireplace. The president is trying to get a precious few hours’ sleep, but of course has to be awoken. Charlie calls him and says, “Mr. President, you know how you told me not to wake you unless the building was on fire…?”
(Boston Globe)

Hurling Rock
Big asteroid on collision course with Mars
Those little green men better get themselves underground, pretty quick.
(TG Daily)

Papelbon’s Pesky Pooch
Jonathan Papelbon's dog takes a bite of World Series history
Get real now, Jonny: Your third grade math teacher didn’t buy it, and I’m not buying it either.
(The Canadian Press)

Unplanned Parenthood
Spears' Baby Daddy Reportedly Ready to Settle Down
The uproar over Jamie Lynn Spears and her pregnancy is puzzling to me. Don’t people realize that 16 year olds get pregnant every day in this country? Wake up people! Why do we care so much about THIS pregnancy? Think about it.
(ABC News)

Groan
A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, "I'll serve you, but don't start anything."

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Going Back

I’ve been a bit distracted lately and never got to write about my trip home. It was a nice week and I got to see everybody so I had a good time.

Golden Anniversary
Happy anniversary to Bridge House. The 50th anniversary dinner was held the night that I arrived at the Tea Room at the Audubon Zoo. It was nice; the food was good; I got to catch up with all of my friends; and I got to meet John Larroquette, who was the guest speaker.

I usually couldn’t care less about meeting celebrities, but I was happy to meet John. I’ve been a fan of his since his Night Court days, and I’m a big fan of Boston Legal and I like his new character on there. He is exactly as you would imagine him in person: dry, quick wit, personable, intelligent, and very open. He was quite candid as he described his years of alcohol and drug abuse. Once, he was in L.A., stumbling down the street, and he blacked out. The next thing he remembers is being in New Orleans. He doesn’t remember deciding to go to New Orleans, going to the airport, buying a ticket, or flying. He almost lost his family and a budding career, but one night he was sitting with a friend about to snort some cocaine and he thought, “What the hell am I doing?” He excused himself, got up, went home to his wife, and has never looked back. God bless him. He was quite an inspiration to all of us there, and particularly to the clients of Bridge House who are working towards recovery.
Bub, Merry, John, and me

Party Time
On Sunday I went over to the Clements for Matty and Rachel’s birthday party. With the threat of bad weather, Brian and Becca decided to cancel the big Jupiter jump thing and move the party to this indoor jump place at the mall. But before the party a bunch of us met at their house to watch the Saints game. I got to take a picture with the kids. Isn’t Rachel’s Saints cheerleader outfit the cutest thing you ever saw in your life?
Jake, Matt, me, Rachel & Karl

The party was fun but the place was run by a bunch of high school students who aren’t very conscientious about their jobs, but at least the kids had fun, so that was nice.

Paying Up
Since I called him out in my blog, I feel that I should let you know that Mark is definitely a man of principle. He took me to Lakeview Harbor, a place that has the same kind of burgers as Port of Call, and paid off his bet. Now, I get to call him out a second time! Mark, your pathetic little team lost again, and I expect my second burger of the 2007 season when I visit in January. Sorry.
Me, Sandy & Mark

Visiting
I also visited with Tommy, Chanel, Dan & Karen and the girls, Jeanie, and of course Mom, Ka, Robby and Mike. I got some Mexican food while I was there. I took my nephew Zach and niece Erin out for dinner and they wanted to go to a Mexican place near their house. That was good because I rarely get Mexican food at home; Bill isn’t a big fan.
Me, Zach, & Erin

Culmination
Friday night, the night before I was leaving, was Bubby’s birthday so of course we had to celebrate. We all got together and went to Drago’s for some good oysters and good food. We all had a blast, and I’m sure Bubby would have had a great time if he would have been there. Unfortunately, Bub decided to go to Disney World the week after Thanksgiving so he had to miss his celebratory birthday dinner. Oh, well. We had fun celebrating his birthday anyhow, and I was able to take over his condo for the week and have a nice quiet place to stay for free!
Jakie riding his bike
Karl riding his bike
Matty riding his bike

I’ve got a great group of friends and it was nice to go out and relax with all of them on my last night in town. I got to the Clements a bit early and was able to hang out with the kids before they left for their babysitters.

So, all in all, a great trip.
The Krewe at Drago's
Rosie, Flea, Brad, Christie, Brian, Becca, Wendy, me, Walter (Nekkid Foot)

Groan
Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love and got married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.

Shopping
If you’ve known me for awhile, you’re not going to believe this, but I’m finished with my Christmas shopping! Unbelievable, isn’t it? But it’s not all motivation; the internet helped a lot this year. It’s so easy to buy online; it’s a godsend for procrastinators like me!

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Sean's Message


This is from the Facebook group RIP Sean O'Hara. Sean and I talked about all of this and his feelings of being put here for a purpose, etc. when he visited me in August. Not only was he smart and loving and strong and charming, he was also very in touch with his spiritual side.

Read Sean's thoughts. I hope that some of you out there can find meaning in his words. I've posted it exactly as it is posted on the group, which I believe is how he originally posted it.

Quoted from RIP Sean O'Hara:

Sean O'Hara passed away on Dec. 2, 2007. He is loved and missed greatly. He would've done anything for his friends and family, and he loved life and lived it to the fullest.

We sleep knowing he is in Heaven and we'll see him again one day.

Note posted by Sean O’Hara
8:44 PM, Monday October 2, 2006
I WROTE THIS ONE MORNING
it's 3:30 in the morning right now and i have this feeling that i have so often.... i love the Lord and he is filling my body and soul and heart and mind with something that cant even be put into words...i was born on july 7, 1986... the perfect date to turn 21 on 07-07-07... in the bible that is stated as being the number of holiness... or God's number... weird i know... but get this... i was born on strange circumstances... i was born exactly 9 months to the day after my brother... my brother that died shortly after he was born of sids(sudden infant death syndrome) he stopped breathing in his sleep... to this day my mother tells me that she can't for the life of her remember getting intimate with my father in the period of they wouldve had to for me to be conceived and born on the day in which i was... spooky... then after that i was born with a disease in my stomach... i couldnt hold food and the doctors couldnt fix it... the acids in my stomach was too strong to allow my body to digest anything... even water... the doctor said that he would be surprised if i lived past a month... but im here typing right now... and im here with a message... God loves YOU... im not sure what greatness he has waiting on me... it may be a shadow in your eyes but to me and hopefully many others its a ray of sunlight in such a dark world... i hope this message is read by many because i want everyone to know that there is someone out there that will help you and be there for you and care if you make it through your trials and tribulations... if you dont believe that God is there then believe that i'm here... im here through his grace and if you need it... just ask someone... its a great feeling to have, you're loved... for no reason... so take this message and do what you will with it... but know i sent it with a purpose and that was to help someone out.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Out of Order

Cycles
Life is a series of cycles. You are born into a family and a world with everyone being older than you. When you’re young, that’s all you know. These people. People you didn’t ask for, people that you would probably never know except that you were randomly thrown in with them. People who bear you, love you, mentor you, mold you. They make you into the kind of person that you turn out to be.

Pretty soon, the cycles start. You go to school in the fall. You go on vacation in the summer. Maybe you join sports, dance ballet, play an instrument, become a Scout. Whether you do one or all of these, they all involve cycles (championships, recitals, camping trips, etc.). Then you grow up some more, and high school becomes another cycle. You hit puberty, start becoming the adult that you will one day grow into, make meaningful friendships, have your first relationships, start doing grown up type things like dances, parties, competitions, etc. High school is a never-ending series of cycles.

Then you graduate high school and go to college, trade school, or to work. You spend a few years trying to find yourself, being wild, then coupling up, settling down, and hopefully figure everything out to have a happy life.

At some point along this timeline, earlier for some than for others, you notice another cycle. The people that were around when you were born, well, they’re not going to be around forever. People die. It’s a fact of life that you have to accept whether you want to or not.

Wait Your Turn
Finally you realize that you’re powerless over this fact and start to come to terms with the fact that by the time it’s your time, your parents, your grandparents, your aunts and uncles, all of their friends, and some of your cousins and siblings will be gone. It’s the way it should be, the “circle of life” (with apologies to Elton John and Tim Rice) if you will.

But as these people begin to drop off, something else happens. They are replaced by other people. Younger people. Nieces, nephews, the children of friends, our own children. Younger cousins and friends. They’ll all be around until we’re gone, so there will be someone around to mourn for us.

Curve Ball
Every one in awhile, though, life throws you a curve ball that completely throws the cycle off track. You don’t expect someone born 17 years after you to be gone before you, especially when that person is only 21.

Early Monday morning I got a call that has devastated my life. My precious nephew Sean is dead at the age of only 21. He was a student at Ole Miss, and his girlfriend went to his apartment and found him lying on his bed unconscious. They were unable to revive him.

An autopsy was performed, but I don’t know the results yet. I guess I will find out in Memphis at the services.

Changing Roles
Relationships have cycles, similar to life itself. When Sean was a kid, I was basically his uncle, spending time playing with him, taking care of him, giving him advice about things, occasionally disciplining him. I loved him from the very first time I held him in my arms, a familial love, a protective love. I wanted to make sure that no one or nothing ever harmed my little Seaner, and that he would grow up to be a healthy, happy, prosperous individual.

Time marches on, though, and before you know it I’m looking up at this “kid” who’s got a good 2 inches on me, and he’s telling me that he’s starting Ole Miss, and we’re actually discussing politics, religion, relationships, feelings, adult stuff. I actually had a mature adult friendship with my 21-year old nephew. It was great.

Confidential to Sean
My dearest Sean, my heart is broken. I enjoyed being your uncle when you were a kid almost as much as I enjoyed being your friend as an adult. Thank you for visiting me in Boston over the summer. I will forever cherish our times together lounging and grilling by the backyard pool, eating in the North End, drinking at the Bull & Finch, channeling our inner children at Six Flags and especially going together to the Red Sox game. Just remembering the smile on your face the entire time we were in Fenway Park gives me a moment of joy even in this time of devastation.

You grew into a fine young man whom I not only loved dearly but also admired greatly. I will remember you always. Kiss Paw Paw and James Michael in heaven for me.

Love always, til again we meet,
Uncle Dennis